Little Red
by x-MarsBar
Summary: The NYPD Crime Lab and its detectives are forced to play nice with the FBI when a serial killer begins targeting young college girls. Criminal Minds crossover. H/P, SMacked and some DL. Totally AU.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: **I have fallen in love with CSI: NY all over again recently and I decided to pair that show up with my all-time favorite, Criminal Minds. This is totally AU though, since there is no BAU team and Hotch and Emily are living in New York City.

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Criminal Minds nor CSI: NY.

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The shots rang out suddenly, down the corridor of the busy hospital and Detective Emily Prentiss' head shot up at the sudden blasting noise bouncing off the glass walls. The young girl lying in the hospital bed she had been guarding practically jumped out of the covers before Emily held up a hand to signal her to stay put. She drew her weapon and raced to the open doorway of the hospital room. People were screaming and running in all directions, disorienting the detective as she tried to find the source of the gunfire.

A figure jumped out in front of her and she let out a strangled gasp as she raised her Glock. She nearly pulled the trigger before she realized it was the FBI agent that had been assigned to the case.

"Hotchner, you bastard! I nearly put a round in you!" She shrieked as she looked up into his light brown eyes.

He ignored her completely and instead grabbed her arm roughly before shoving her back into the room.

"Stay with her. Do not let anyone in here!" And he was off again, pushing people in the direction leading away from the gunman. Emily slammed the door shut, hit the little button on the knob to lock it and rushed back over to the bed.

"Cindy, we have to get you out of here, okay? Just stay calm; I won't let anything happen to you," the detective said as calmly as possible. She moved across the room to grab a wad of tissues out of their box before she moved back to the redheaded girl and tugged the tape off the back of her hand. Emily knew that what she was doing was probably not going to go well with the doctors but she had to get this eyewitness out of here. Cindy's health meant nothing if the girl was not alive. With that in mind, she pulled the IV out of Cindy's hand and pressed the tissues over the needle's former place.

"Hold it down," she instructed as she helped her out of the bed and walk across the room. Before either had a chance to do much, the glass wall to their left shattered, scattering glass across the floor and through the air. All Emily could think was that the murderer after Cindy had found them at last. She didn't even realize that she had been hit until Cindy screamed. Emily finally saw that she was on the floor and the whole left side of her body had gone pleasantly numb but the feeling didn't last long. Soon it was like she had a fire coursing through her shoulder and she brought her right hand up to push against it out of instinct. She could feel her warm blood seeping from the wound, she could feel it pulsing through her fingers and down her arm, the crimson hiding underneath the sleeve of her charcoal suit jacket.

"Run, Cindy," Emily heard herself shouting, at least she thought she was shouting. In reality it had barely come out in a whisper. "Go! Now! Find Agent Hotchner," were the last words she uttered before her world faded to black. Later she would remember startled amber eyes gazing down at her in panic, but at the moment, she just wanted to sleep and forget about the pain.

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_Three days earlier…_

Homicide Detective Emily Prentiss was the first on the scene besides the paramedics and uniformed officers. She flashed her NYPD badge and was quickly escorted under the crime scene tape. There were plenty of thoughts running through her mind as she was guided into the apartment complex's lobby, but the one she kept repeating over and over was _'Please don't let it be another one'. _She was instructed to follow another uniform to the actual room where the murder had been committed. Emily's steps faltered a little as they approached the open doorway. She had never been hesitant to enter a crime scene since the first time, but now she found herself questioning whether she actually wanted to go in. With a deep breath she finally stepped past the officer and was met with the grisly sight she had been anticipating. Her dark eyes glanced over the room briefly before she turned back to the man beside her and nodded.

Emily moved back out of the room and pulled her phone from its case on her left hip. She hit a key on her speed dial and moved the device to her ear as she waited for the other person to pick up. When he did she gave him a quick apology and paused for a moment before proceeding with the news.

"Mac, we got another one. It's him…"

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**A/N: **So let me know what you think, guys. I'm really excited to get this story rolling but that all depends on whether my fellow readers/writers want me to. So…R&R! :D

**PS.** For those of you still waiting on an update for "First Encounter", I'm really sorry! I'll try to get another chapter up in the next couple of weeks but with school and my police competition I don't have much time. I haven't abandoned it though!


	2. Chapter 2

Mac Taylor was quick to reach the crime scene after his colleague from Homicide had given him the call. Dressed in a crisp navy blue suit that was partially covered by the black trench coat he wore over it, he descended under the crime scene tape that was held up by a uniformed policeman and popped up on the other side. He was already on his way up the concrete steps leading to the door when he heard his name being called from behind. He turned on the balls of his feet and smiled slightly when he saw his partner rushing towards him on her four inch heels, kit in hand.

"Mac, wait up!" Stella Bonasera said as she flashed her badge and slipped under the tape as well. She met Mac on the steps before the building and gave him a tiny smile. They both knew that being here meant that they were not in for a good time. They were getting nowhere with this month-long case, since the guy was smarter than the average mass murderer. He never left any clues behind. No DNA, no fingerprints, no fibers, not even a trace that he had actually been there. It frustrated Stella, and the rest of the detectives and techs on the case, to no end that they could not catch him.

"Hey," he replied as he placed a hand on the small of her back and guided her into the warm building. Winter in New York City was brutal, no need to stay out in it more than necessary. Detectives, other CSIs and uniformed police officers were already bustling about, getting statements and talking to tenants.

"Mac, Stella!" They both turned their heads at the sound of Emily's voice and greeted her with grim smiles.

Emily approached them in a pair of black slacks accompanied with a dark red blouse and a brown leather jacket topped the detective's outfit. Her nearly black hair framed her face with her Cleopatra bangs straightened perfectly over her forehead. Mac had always noticed how she took control of a room easily, her sharp looks made her look professional but also held that air of elegance, and this time was no different. Officers and detectives alike turned their attention to the tall brunette beauty as she moved closer to the pair.

"You two just getting here?" She asked with a suggestive wink, which made Mac frown and Stella glare. Emily had noticed Mac and Stella's close relationship from the beginning and never passed up a chance to comment on it. Neither ever really took it seriously, since they knew that Emily's serious nature at work really covered up a playful spirit, which was probably what made them such good friends, especially on Stella's part.

"We are," Stella commented as she raised an eyebrow at Emily.

The raven-haired detective pointed over towards a closed off room to their right and her smile faltered. "Body's over there."

At Emily's statement, everyone lost their lighthearted faces and simultaneously switched them with more somber ones. Emily had been working the serial case from the very beginning so she knew what the MO was, but the CSI team still had to determine that themselves. They all moved over towards the room with Mac leading. Stella was right behind him and Emily behind her as they approached the open doorway.

"I think I'm gonna hang back," Emily said as she gave them a tight smile and walked off to look for Flack and his partner, as they would be arriving shortly.

"Takes a lot to shake her," Stella observed as she watched her friend walk away.

Mac only nodded as he glanced over in Emily's direction then back at the curly-haired CSI in front of him. "Which is why we have to catch him and soon. This guy has all of New York scared out of its wits."

Stella watched Mac's face for a moment before she reached out, sqeezed his arm and stepped past him into the next room.


End file.
